Perryville's softball team advanced to the state final with a 15-0 triumph over Pikesville in five innings Wednesday afternoon at Bachman Sports Complex in Glen Burnie. "It feels really good," senior first baseman Lydia Hill said. "We've worked for it all season. We've thought of it but we never really thought we could do it. The fact that we are in [the finals] is a rewarding feeling." The Panthers (21-0) will be seeking their first-ever state title either Friday or Saturday in College Park. Perryville lost the 2010 state final. Wednesday's game was over early. Perryville led 11-0 before Pikesville had recorded an out. Amber Keene led off the bottom of the first with a double to right-center and Ashley Meekins double over the head of the left fielder to put runners on second and third. Hill followed with a two-run single to right then Carly White blasted a towering home run to center. Just like that, it was 4-0. "We've kind of preached, for the most part, look for your pitch on that first pitch," Perryville coach Dave Ruark said. "And a couple girls got it. They were patient and they see quite a variety of pitching in the UCBAC, playing various teams, so [Pikesville's pitching] was similar to what we've seen at times. The girls just handle themselves [well]. There was a lot of confidence coming off that bus. They came ready to work. Our girls have gotten it done all year. This was another challenge." Kaitlyn Griffin singled up the middle, Mara Little reached on an error, and Nicole DiGiambattista walked to load the bases. Emily Phillips knocked in a run with an infield hit and the sixth run scored on a wild pitch. Jordyn Reese was safe on an error before Keene delivered a two-run single, her second hit of the inning. A run scored on another wild pitch and Hill plated a run on a ground out. Hill said the Panthers weren't sure what to expect from Pikesville. "We had no idea," she said. "We know they won their previous game [24-6 over Benjamin Franklin]. We were expecting them to be hard competition and that's what we came out and played like." Phillips pitched the first two innings and Little worked the last three. Reese walked and scored on a wild pitch in the second and drove in a run on a ground out in the third. White and Griffin belted back-to-back doubles to begin the third. Perryville will play Boonsboro in the state final Saturday at 1 p.m. in College Park. Boonsboro defeated Mardela 9-5 in the other semifinal. Perryville is not satisfied simply to be in the championship contest. "It's pretty important [that we win]," said Hill. "This is our last anything together no matter what, so the fact that we're all here together and it's our last chance, everybody wants it, everybody's hungry for it." North East softball falls to Catoctin in state semifinals North East lost 6-1 to Catoctin in a 2A softball semifinal Wednesday afternoon at Bachman Park.
Cougars junior Jessica Bryant hit a three-run homer in both the first and third innings. She has 15 roundtrippers on the season. Comments are closed.
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